Cross-border Attacks on Pakistan Counter-Productive:Pakistan to the UK

Source: Press Trust of India

Islamabad, Jan 19 (PTI) Pakistan's political leadership today told visiting British Defence Secretary John Hutton that cross-border attacks in the country's tribal areas by US and NATO forces based in Afghanistan were counter-productive for the war on terror.

Gilani and Qureshi told Hutton that incursions into Pakistani territory by US and NATO forces in Afghanistan were "unacceptable" and counter-productive for the campaign against militants and extremists.

Calling for the US and NATO countries to strengthen intelligence sharing with Pakistan "instead of resorting to drone attacks", Gilani said such incursions affected his government's efforts "to isolate extremists from the peace-loving populace of the tribal areas".

Scores of people, including women and children, have died in a series of missile strikes carried out in the tribal belt by US drones operating from Afghanistan. Several top Al Qaida and Taliban commanders have also been killed in these attacks.

Hutton "conceded that the continuing drone attacks were having serious negative fallout on the Pakistani people's perception on their government's counter-terrorism campaign". PTI

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